Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Brock Technologies introduces the Shark

SOURCE FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL Brock Technologies debuted its new unmanned aerial vehicle on 1 February.
Tube-launched and weighing in at only 2.5kg (5.5lb), the composite Shark is designed to fly quietly at low altitudes for long periods of time, gathering intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information, the Arizona-based company says.
The Shark measures 0.79m (2.5ft) long, with a 0.97m wingspan with the wings deployed. It can carry payloads weighing up to 0.45kg.

The strength-to-weight ratio of the Shark's composite parts has been made possible with a process Brock calls Super Compression Molding (SCM). With this method, the total number of composite plies is reduced without impact to the overall component strength. In addition to the SCM process, the Shark uses composite castings, allowing for light-weight embedded parts and, eventually, injection-moulded parts. This translates to low per-unit airframe costs, the company says, allowing the users to enhance the small UAV with more advanced payloads and sensors.
Initial flight testing of the Shark began early last year, via "in-flight mother-ship launch," the company says.
Brock's photos of the Shark show a design resembling the Boeing/InSitu Dominator, also known as the ScanEagle Compressed Carriage, which first flew early this year. Brock has yet to list the new UAV on its website.